It was the do or die situation for Davis Cup debutant Denis Shapovalov of Canada against Kyle Edmund of Great Britain. Team Canada and Great Britain were equal at 2-2; and it was the decider game where Denis lost his control over temper. Trailing 2-1 in the decider and third set Denis lost his temper when his serve was broken by Kyle, he took out ball from his pocket and struck the French chair umpire.
The player who would win the match would have won the place for his country in World Group Quarterfinal to face France. But the disappointment of losing the match led Denis to take the inappropriate action of hitting the chair umpire. The 17-year- old Canadian Denis was quick to apologise to the umpire Arnaud Gabas on court and in the referee’s office after the match. But he wasn’t able to save the match in favor of Canada.
In the discussion between match referee Brian Earley, two team captains and umpire Gabas the rubber was awarded to Kyle leading his team to 3-2 win of the tie. It was unacceptable behavior by Denis which he later admitted at the press conference. Embarrassed and ashamed of his behavior Denis was upfront that he will not do any such things in future.
It was the strange way to finish a match and Shapovalov must have had learnt a lesson for his life. The incident is also something which the sports-persons will remember as something not to do in those nerve-wrecking moments. Now in the quarterfinals Great Britain will face France while in other World Group Spain will face Serbia. It was hard fought battle between Spain and Croatia. Trailing 2-1 team Spain fought back in the decider between Seriba Carreno Busta and Mektic 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, 6-4 to knock out Croatia (last year’s runner-up).